This year I’m focusing my resolute intention on continuing to evolve as a free-thinking individual — mind, body, and soul. Here are some of the ways I plan to do just that:

Revitalize My Mind

Read More Liberty-Minded Philosophy

I plan to read a new libertarian, objectivist, individualist, anarchist, agorist, or voluntaryist book each week. I seek to broaden my horizons even further and learn even more about these philosophies that I love and find so interesting. I want to continue to challenge my long-held views and see if they still hold up. Re-examine old ways of thinking.

I already read these types of literature on a regular basis, but I know I can do more. There’s still so much to learn! And still so much to teach my children, so that they can teach their children, and so on. So little time, so much to read!

Starting this year, I will delve into researching the works of all the great free thinkers, and then tell others about my favorites, and about what I’ve learned from them. I will share the works and writings of those great free thinkers here, and with my family and friends both in person and on social media. These ideas were made to be shared!

Start Brush Fires of Freedom in the Hearts and Minds of Others

Continue to sow seeds of liberty in the hearts and minds of my spouse, my children, my extended family, and my friends.

This year, I plan to tell my friends and family about every great liberty-minded book I’ve read—new or old—and give them a copy or send them a link so they can read it themselves and maybe even share it with others.

I will open up to my extended family and my friends about what I’ve learned on my quest for liberty, peace, healthy living, and about my transition as a free-thinking individual.

This year, I will adopt a willingness to listen and learn. When others have something to say, I will listen to them. Really listen. I won’t assume. I won’t argue. I won’t insult them. And I won’t talk down to them. I will encourage their questions, listen to what they have to say, and acknowledge their concerns. I will do my best to always respond with equanimity and compassion. You catch more flies with honey.

Renew My Body

My body is a temple. My temple. The temple of me.

This year, I aim to keep it sacred, to honor it, and quit treating it like a trashcan.

Move Me

Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise or movement each day, without exception.

This year, I plan to walk outside in the fresh air for at least 30 minutes every day to get the blood pumping and boost my heart rate. I used to do this habitually, ritually, and I absolutely loved it. I was also in excellent shape and looked and felt great! I want to get back to that place.

Recruit a friend or family member to walk with me whenever I can. Maybe I can even turn it into a regular routine for our mutual benefit.

Whenever possible, I’ll venture out of my neighborhood and out into the wilderness. There’s so much beautiful untouched desert nearby. I’ll find a path, or forge my own path — the path less taken, where the State is nowhere to be seen.

Eat Ethically

‘You are what you eat’, as they say. As a freedom-lover, opposed to violence, cruelty, and injustice, I’ve made a steady progression over the years towards eating increasingly ethically. In September of 2016, I made the informed choice to go Vegan. I’m so glad I did!

Reinvigorate My Soul

Be Mindful

Whether it’s just finding time to meditate for 3 minutes during a hectic day, or luxuriating in a full half-hour of Kirtan Kriya — this year, and from now on, I won’t allow myself to blow off the importance of cultivating my own inner peace and love. This year, I’ll make nourishing my soul a priority and a daily ritual, like my morning coffee. Even your morning cup of coffee can be a mindfulness meditation, if you’re a coffee-lover like me.

A New Dawn, a New Day, a New Life for Me in 2017

I’m inspired just thinking of all the ways I can shift my lifestyle into greater alignment with my liberty and peace-loving values.

Maybe you’ve already done this to some extent. You probably have. But there’s always room for improvement.

Wishing you and yours a healthy, happy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year!

“Every person who ever had a plan to do anything, and went and did it, or who laid his plan before others, and won their co-operation to do it with him, without going to external authorities to please do the thing for them, was a direct actionist. All co-operative experiments are essentially direct action.

Every person who ever in his life had a difference with anyone to settle, and went straight to the other persons involved to settle it, either by a peaceable plan or otherwise, was a direct actionist. Examples of such action are strikes and boycotts…”

My Libertarian Lifestyle

I'm a woman on a mission to manifest postive holistic changes each day in my own life—however small these changes may seem—because even the slightest of alterations can give rise to strikingly great outcomes in this thing called life. This is the butterfly effect. I am the butterfly.

Social

"Those of us who are 'disturbers of the universe' are often those whom the universe has treated unkindly and who have decided to fight back, speaking kindness to combat unkindness, hope to overcome defeat, compassion to quell hate, gentleness to counter rage. We are not disturbers of the peace. We are purveyors of peace because we are disturbers of the status quo."

"I am not into electoral politics as a way to change society so I don't think in terms of competing with Republicans or Democrats. I believe that lasting change comes from transforming the hearts and minds of people - freedom comes one person at a time - and the pulling of a lever every four years doesn't have much to do with that process. I believe in grassroots activism to improve the daily realities of people, not in electing politicians to positions of power. A politician has never improved my life, has never made me freer."

—Wendy McElroy, author of several books and co-founder of The Voluntaryist magazine

"Libertarianism is the simple morality we learned as children: don't strike first, don't steal or cheat, keep your promises. If you inadvertently fail to live up to these standards, make it up to the person you've harmed. If someone harms you, you may defend yourself as needed to stop the aggressor and obtain reparations. This simple morality works group-to-group just as it works one-to-one to bring about a peaceful and prosperous world."